Lubricator device



May 29, 1951 H. E. MCKINNEY LUBRICATOR DEVICE Filed March 29, 1949 H.E. McKinne EL; Hi5 A++orne Fig.7.

Patented May 29, 1 951 LUBRICATOR DEVICE Howard E. McKinney, Houston, Tex., assignor to Shell Development Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application March 29, 1949, Serial No. 84,076

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for inserting strings of relatively flexible elongated cylindrical or tubular elements, such as tubing cables, wire lines, etc., into high pressure vessels or zones. Since the present invention is especially well suited for inserting cables or strings of small diameter flexible tubing into high pressure wells, it will be described herein in its application to this particular type of operation, the closed well casing being considered as a pressure vessel. It is, however, understood that the invention is in no way limited thereto, but may also be used for inserting temperature and pressure bulbs, or similar instruments, into pressure vessels such, for example, as towers in oil refineries, etc. Furthermore, by suitably enlarging or modifying the various component parts of the present system, said system can be readily adapted, without de- .partment from its principle, for the handling of any type of production tubing including that of relatively large diameter, as in snubbing operations, etc.

Since wire lines and cables of types such as are used in Well head operations, for example, insulated conductor cables having an armor sheath made of wire strands, have a relatively rougher uneven surface, an excessive radial pressure must be applied by any lubricator or packing element when such cable is being inserted into a high pressure well to prevent pressure leaks between the packing element and the cable. In fact, before a completely fluid-tight seal is formed about the cable, this radial pressure must often reach such an order of magnitude that the cable becomes jammed in the packer, thus preventing a vertical movement of the cable and defeating the purpose of operation of the lubricator.

Likewise, since small diameter flexible tubing has relatively thin walls, it is extremely difficult to insert it through a pressure packing without bending thetubing, which weakens its wallsand makes it unsuitable for further use.

'It is therefore a' primary object of this invention to provide an apparatus for readily inserting cable, wire line, tubing, or equivalent elongated cylindrical elements, into high-pressure zones and removing said elements therefrom.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a tubing inserting mechanism having gripping elements adapted to grip a flexible string without injuring said string during the insertion into or removal from a high-pressure zone.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lubricator for handling a string or columnar element, said lubricator comprising stationary and movable pressure seals that are alternately opened when the tubing is passed therethrough and closed when said tubing is positioned therein in a stationary manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken with reference to the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of an embodiment of the present tubing inserting mechanism mounted for operation at a well head.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View of a gripping element used in the present apparatus.

Referring to Figure 1 the present apparatus is shown as mounted on the top member ID of a Christmas tree of a high-pressure well casing head installation. A blow-out preventer II or other valve means may be flanged or affixed in any suitable manner to the member Ill. Preferably, a spool piece [2 is secured in a fluid-tight manner to the top of the blow-out preventer ll, said spool piece l2 being of a length sufficient to accommodate a sinker bar [3 adapted to be positioned therein for purposes to be described hereinbelow.

Secured in any suitable manner, as by flange means is to the spool piece l2, and coaxially with said spool piece l2 and the well casing (not shown), is a hollow standing plunger element comprising a tubular member [5 closed at its upper end in a substantially fluid-tight manner by closure means comprising a plug or sealing member 16 having a longitudinal chamber I1 therein. The open upper end of chamber I! is normally closed in a fluid-tight manner by a removable bushing or plug l8.

Positioned within the chamber I1 is a resilient gripping and packing element l9 which is preferably cylindrical in shape and is of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the chamber I1, whereby an annular space is formed between the Wall of said chamber i1 and said packing element l9. The length of said packing element I9 is such that it is normally positioned in a fluid-tight" 3 hal plug I6 is recessed to contain therein a ring of suitable packing material that is held in place by anysuitable means, as by a holding ring 26. The packing ring 25 forms a fluid-tight seal between the sealing member IE5 at the top of the stationary plunger and a surrounding barrel member 21 which is mounted for sliding reciprocating movement about said sealing member i6 and tubular member I5.

The traveling barrel 2'! has an open lower end and a closed upper end 28, said upper end 28 having an axial bore 29 therethrough to accommodate the cable or tubing 24 to be inserted into the well. Fixedly secured, as by screw threads 30, on the top of said traveling barrel 2'! is a housing or second sealing member 3i having a chamber 32 formed therein, said chamber 32 being normally closed at the top by a removable cover 33. A resilient gripping and packing element 34, is positioned in said chamber 32, said packing element being similar in size and construction to, packing element l9 whereby an an nular space is formed between said sealing element, 34 and the wall of said chamber 32.

The packing or gripping elements l9 and 34 are preferably made of synthetic rubber but may be made of rubber, rubberized canvas or any resilient plastic material. Passing through the cover 33, gripping element 34 and housing 3! are longitudinal bores 36, 3'! and 38, respectively, said bores being in alignment with bores 2|, 22, 23 and 29.

Plug 16 and housing 3! are equipped with suitable fluid inlets 39 and 43 respectively, by which a pressure fluid may be introduced into chambers I1 and 32 for compressing gripping elements l9 and 34, respectively, around the tubing 24. Fluid pressure conduits 4| and 42 are in communication between the fluid inlets 39 and 40 and any suitable source of fluid pressure, such as a pump 43, or a pressure fluid reservoir for supplying fluid at pressures greater or less than those encountered in well casings as needed to cause elements 34 and I9 to gripproperl-y. Suitable valve means may be installed in the conduits 4i and 42 whereby fluid pressure may be alternately supplied by said pump 43 to chamber 1'! and chamber 32. As pressure is being supplied to one chamber, pressure in the other chamber is relieved. A two-way valve 44 is diagrammatically r conduit 42 whereby a pressure fluid, such as water,

oil, glycerine, grease, or the like, is introduced into chamber 32. The oil line 42 should be flexible in orderto follow the reciprocations of housing 3|. At the same time the pressure fluid in chamber I1 is exhausted through conduit 4| and valve 44 at the exhaust outlet 45 If desired the outlet 45. may lead back to the pressure fluid reservoir or pump 43. It will be seen that by turning valve 44 through 90 degrees, the pump 43 ,will be in communication with conduit 45 while conduit 4?, is in communication with the exhaust conduit 45. Conduits 4i and 42 may also be equipped with normally open shut-oil valves 48 and 49 and couplings 50 and 5!, respectively, to facilitate the removal of the pressure fluid supply system when the tubing inserting mechanism is moved to another well.

Any suitable prime mover means may be utilized to reciprocate the traveling barrel member 2'! on the stationary plunger comprising members I5 and 16 In this embodiment a flange 52 on the lower end of barrel 2! is bolted to the ends of a pair of piston rods 53, and 54 having pistons 55 and 56 secured at the other ends of said rods and mounted for vertical reciprocating movement within a pair of cylinders or piston housings 51 and 58. The cylinders 57 and 53 are fixedly secured, as by welding, to a suitable base or framework comprising horizontal members 59 and 60 and vertical members [ii and 32. While this framework may be of sufllcient size to position it on the ground or platform (not shown) adjacent the well, it is preferably secured in a rigid manner directly to the well head, as by bolting horizontal member 68 to flange [4.

The piston cylinders 51 and 58 are connected by suitable valve and conduit means to a source of pressure fluid to form reciprocating prime mover means. The cylinders 5'! and 58 are equipped with fluid ports and 63, 61 and 58, respectively, which alternately communicate with pump 43 through conduits 69, ll] and II. Conduits 69 and 73 may communicate, one at a time, with conduit H through suitable valve means, such as a twoeway valve 12. As shown in Figure l, conduits 69 and H are in communication and conduit 10 is closed whereby pressure fluid may be supplied to cylinders 51 and 58 through fluid ports 35 and 6.1; with valve 72 turned degrees in either direction conduits i6 and H are in communication and fluid pressure enters the cylinders 51 and 58 through fluid ports 66 and 58. At the same time ports 65 and 61 serve as fluid outlets from cylinders 51' and 58', respectively, whereby fluid may be exhausted from said cylinders through conduit 69 and valve 12 and thencev through conduit 13 to the exhaust reservoir l4.

Mounted atop the cylinder housings 5'! and 58 is a plate 83 and bracket 8| for mounting a guide sheave 82 which may be employed to facilitate the alignment of flexible tubing 24 so that it may be readily fed into the gripping elements 34 and 19 of the apparatus. 24 may be stored and handled in any suitable manner, as on a .drum 83.

In operation the present tubing inserting apparatus is mounted on a well head in the manner illustrated in Figure 1 with the sinker bar E3 secured to the lower open end of the tubing 24 by any connecting means 84 well known to the art.

The valve or blow-out preventer l I may then be opened to allow the sinker bar I3 and tubing 24 to pass therethrough into thhigh-pressure well.

At the same time pressure pump 43 is started so.

that pressure fluid is applied simultaneously to one of the gripping elements l9 and 34 and to one side of the pistons 55 and 56.

With the pistons 55 and 56 positioned at the top of the cylinders 5'! and 58, the valves 44 and 12 are set as shown, with valve 44 having been opened to conduit 42 at the same time or preferably a short time before valve 12 wasv opened to conduit 69. Thus, pressure fluid first enters the pressure chamber 32 compressing the packer 34 so that it grips the tubing 24 and seals against the cover 33 and the closed end 35 0f the housing' 31. At the same time the pressure fluid in chamber I1 is allowed to exhaust through conduits- 4] and 45 and valve 44 to remove any pressure from gripping element I9.

Thus, when pressure fluid is applied by pump 43 through conduits H and 69 and through fluid inlets 65 and 61 into the cylinders 57 and 58 above the pistons 55 and 56, said pistons are forced downwardly at the same time causing any pressure fluid below said pistons to be exhausted through ports 65 and. 68 and conduits 10 and 13 The tubing or cable into the reservoir 74. 'As the pistons 55 and56 move down, the attached piston rods 53 and 54, flange 52, traveling barrel 2'! and housing 3| containing the actuated or. set gripping element 34 are also moved down, carrying tubing 24 with it, whereby said tubing is forced throughgripping element I0 into the high-pressure well casing.

When the pistons 55 and 56 and the traveling barrel 2?. reach the end of their downstroke, valve 44 is turned 90 degrees so that pressure fluid is applied through valve 44 and conduit 4! to chamber I! to compress packer or gripping element I9 around the tubing 24 and against the cover It and the closed end 25, thus suspending the tubing 24 in the well casing and preventing the casing pressure from escaping. Valve I2 is also turned 90 degrees so that fluid pressure is supplied by pump 43 through conduits II and I0 and inlets 66 and 68, to force pistons 55 arid 55 upwards. Traveling barrel 2'! and housing 3| move upward with said pistons. the gripping element. 34 passing freely along said tubing since the pressure in chamber 32 has been exhausted through conduit 42, valve 44 and conduit 45.

The above-described operations are repeated until the desired length of tubing 24 has been inserted in the well casing. It is obvious that controlivalves 4d and I2 may be linked to, and operated by, any suitable mechanical, electrical or hydraulic control mechanism (as represented by. broken line whereby said valves may be repeatedly actuated or set to perform the above operations. Before removing the major portion of the tubing inserting apparatus from the well head, pressure fluid may be applied to chamber I! to seal the gripping element I9 within said plug I6. Valve 48 is then closed to maintain pressure on the packer I9 and the conduit 4| is uncoupled at 50. This leaves the standing plunger, comprising member I5 and plug It, to seal the top of the well installation with tubing 24 extending through said plug whereby a corrosion inhibitor fluid may be introduced into said well through said tubing.

It is evident that other embodiments of the present apparatus may employ other prime mover means for reciprocating the traveling barrel 21, other sources of pressure fluid l4, and other-forms of sealing and gripping elementsIQ and 34. For example, instead of using a pump or a reservoir of pressure fluid '54, the pistons 55 and 55 may be actuated by utilizing the high pressure fluid from the well head I0 which would be controlled by suitable valve means similar to valve 12. If the casing head pressure is used to reciprocate pistons 55 and 50, it. is essential that the total piston area be greater than the crosssectional area of the traveling barrel 2?. It is also desirable, in all embodiments, that the pressure developed by pump 43 be great enough to supply fluid to chambers I! and 32 at a pressure higher than the casing head pressure to prevent said pressure from escaping around said tubing while it is being inserted.

It may also be seen that instead of using a single pump 43, a pair of pumps may be employed, one to deliver a pressure fluid to the packers I9 and 34 and the other to deliver a pressure fluid to the pistons 55 and 56. Also the packers l9 and 34 may be actuated by a pressure fluid while the traveling barrel 2'! may be reciprocated by any suitable electrical, mechanical or hydraulic means well known to the art.

Another embodiment of a gripping element is shown in Figure 2 as being secured to the top of the traveling barrel 27. This embodiment coinprises plate members IOI, I02, I03 and I04 rigidly secured together by tubular members I05 and me which are adapted to receive tubular rubber grippers I07 and I03. The plate members IOI, I02, I03 and I04 have co-axial bores therethrough to accommodate a cable I093. The grippers I01 and I08 have outer diameters smaller than the inner diameters of the tubular members I and Iilt whereby annular chambers H0 and III are formed therebetween. The ends of the grippers It! and I08 are preferably concave to fit the adjacent convex surfaces of plate members Iiil, I52, I03 and I04 and thus form a more effective seal against the pressure fluid. Chambers I It and III communicate through fluid inlets H2 and H3 and conduits H4, H5 and H6 with a common source of pressure fluid (not shown).

When an uncovered wire cable, formed from a number of wires of smaller diameter twisted together, passes through rubber grippers, the grooves between the wires on the surface of the cable are sometimes of sufficient size to permit the escape of well fluid along the cable even with the gripper compressed against the cable. To block this means of escape of well fluid, the grooves in the surface of the cable may be filled, prior to its insertion into a well, with any suitable filler such, for example, as wax, grease, a plastic material, paint, or the like. The preferred method is to apply a grease to the surface of the cable I09 to fill the grooves thereon. For this purpose an annular lubricating channel II? is cut in one of the plate members I02 between the two grippers I01 and I08. The channel III communicates through an inlet port II8 with a conduit I I9 or any other means for supplying grease thereto, said grease being preferably under pressure. Thus, the grooves in the surface of the cable I09 are filled before the cable enters the lower gripper I08. The above-described gripping element is normally operated in a manner similar to gripping element 34 of Figure l.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for forcing a relatively flexible columnar element through an orifice in a pressure vessel, comprising a stationary sealing member affixed to said vessel over said orifice, a movable cylindrical sealing member disposed for co xial sliding movement therewith, packing means mounted within each sealing member, an axial passage through said sealing members and the packing means therein in register with said orifice, said axial passage being adapted to receive said columnar element, prime-mover means in engagement with said movable sealing member for reciprocating said member in the direction of said axial passage, and means comprising pressure fluid inlet means in communication with the sealing members for selectively and alternately applying a fluid pressure to the packing means therein, whereby a fluid-tight grip is selectively and alternately applied to said columnar element by said packing means.

2. An apparatus for forcing a relatively flexible columnar element through an orifice in a pressure vessel, comprising a stationary plunger affixed to said vessel over said orifice, a stationary sealing member carried by said plunger, a cylinder adapted for sliding axial motion over said plunger, a movable sealing member carried by said cylinder, a chamber within each sealing member, packing means within each chamber, a passage co-axial with said plunger and cylinder through the sealing members and the packing means therein, said passage being adapted to receive said columnar element, pressure fluid actuated reciprocating prime-mover means, linkage means connecting said prime-mover means to said cylinder, means comprising inlet means to the chambers within said sealing members for applying a fluid pressure to the packing means therein, whereby a tight grip is applied to said columnar element by said packing means, a source of pressure fluid, and valve means for selectively synchronizing the admission of the pressure fluid to the prime-mover means on the operative stroke thereof with the admission of the pressure fluid to the chambers in the movable sealing member and in the stationary sealing member.

3. An apparatus for forcing a relatively flexible columnar element through an orifice in a pressure vessel, comprising a stationary plunger afflxed to said vessel over said orifice, a stationary sealing member axially carried by said plunger, a cylinder adapted for reciprocating motion over said plunger in a fluid-tight manner, a sealing member closing one end of said cylinder, and movable therewith, a chamber within each sealing member, packing means centrally positioned within each chamber, a passage co-axial with said plunger and cylinder through the sealing members and the packing means therein, said passage being adapted to receive said columnar element, pressure fluid actuated reciprocating prime-mover means, linkage means connecting said prime-mover means to said cylinder, means comprising inlet means to the chambers within said sealing members for applying a fluid pressure to the packing means therein, whereby a tight grip is applied to said columnar element by said packing means and the passage through said sealing means is closed, a source of pressure fluid, and valve means for selectively synchronizing the admission of the pressure fluid to the chambers in the movable sealing member and in the stationary sealing member.

4. An apparatus for forcing a relatively flexible columnar element through an orifice in a pressure vessel, comprising a stationary plunger affixed to said vessel over said orifice, a stationary sealing member axially carried by said plunger, a

cylinder adapted for reciprocating motion over,

said plunger in a fluid-tight manner, a movable sealing member axially carried by said cylinder, a chamber within each sealing member, packing means centrally positioned within each chamber forming an annular space between said packing means and the chamber wall, a passage co-axial with said plunger and cylinder through the sealing members and the packing means therein, said passage being adapted to receive said columnar element, pressure fluid actuated reciprocating prime-mover means, linkage means connecting said prime-mover means to said cylinder, means comprising inlet means to the annular spaces within said sealing members for applying a fluid pressure in a radial direction to the packing means therein, whereby a tight. grip is applied to said columnar element by said packing means and the passageway through said sealing means is closed, a source of pressure fluid, valve means for selectively synchronizing the admission of the pressure fluid to the prime-mover means on an operative stroke thereof with the selective admission of the pressure fluid alternately to the annular spaces in the movable sealing member and the stationary sealing member, and valve means for selectively and alternately relieving the annular spaces in the stationary and the movable sealing means of the pressure applied thereto.

5. An apparatus for forcing a relatively flexible columnar element through an orifice in a pressure vessel, comprising a stationary plunger affixed to said vessel over said orifice, a stationary sealing member carried by said plunger, a cylinder adapted for reciprocating motion over said plunger in a fluid-tight manner, a. movable sealin member carried by said cylinder, a chamber within each sealing member, resilient packing means centrally positioned within each chamber forming an annular space between said packing means and the chamber wall, a passage co-axial with said plunger and cylinder through the sealing members and the packing means therein, said passage being adapted to receive said columnar element, reciprocating prime-mover means, linkage means connecting said prime-mover means to said cylinder, means comprising inlet means to the annular spaces within said sealing members for applying a fluid pressure in a radial direction to the packing means therein, whereby a tight grip is applied to said columnar element by REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,117,516 Petrie Nov. 17, 1914 1,120,741 Petrie Dec. 15, 1914 Goodwill June 26, 1917 

